Google Expands Nano Banana AI Image Editing to Lens and AI Mode

Nano Banana's viral features are coming to more Google apps

AI-based image generation has been around for a while now. But Google took things up a notch with the introduction of the viral Nano Banana (Gemini 2.5 Flash Image) model, as evidenced by its popularity following the late August release. This powerful image generation/editing model is now gradually making its way to Google's other services, such as Lens and AI Mode. Of the two Google products, the Lens app gains a stronger integration with the Nano Banana model, according to 9to5Google. When the change is live, users will find a brand new Create tab in the bottom row, slotting in as the fourth tab after Search, Translate, and Live. Current (image 1) vs upcoming Users are greeted with a large Capture, Create, Share welcome message in the Create tab. Google is also going all in on the banana emoji, which is reflected on the Create tab's icon (and the camera shutter). This should make it instantly recognizable for people acquainted with Nano Banana's capabilities. The camera in the Create tab defaults to the selfie view, with a camera switcher also provided to change views. Capturing an image opens it in AI Mode's prompt box, where you can type instructions for image generation or edits. Another visual change sees the icons for each bottom bar tab moving above the text, thereby making better use of the space. Google is going bananas with this new model Current (image 1) vs upcoming The Nano Bana integration in AI Mode is more subtle by comparison. A new '+' menu is now available in the bottom left of the prompt box. This menu houses the existing Gallery option, while also adding Camera and Create images to the list. Users will find a banana emoji next to Create images, so there's ambiguity about what it can do. Choosing this option will let you type what you want to see, with the prompt box changing its text to "Describe your image" from the default "Ask anything." You can generate an image from scratch or make edits to existing photos using Create images. 9to5Google notes that they're seeing these integrations on an account signed up for the AI Mode Search Labs experiment in the US. However, it's unclear when Google plans to make it more widely available. These are not the only services that will see Nano Banana integration, as a recent report indicated that the image generation model could also find a home in Google Photos.

Nano Banana image editing comes to AI Mode and Google Lens

Nano Banana has been a hit in the Gemini app, and Google is now bringing the model's (Gemini 2.5 Flash Image) viral image editing and generation to AI Mode, as well as Google Lens. In Search's AI Mode, it starts with a new 'plus' icon in the bottom-left corner of the prompt box. Voice input and Lens is moved to the right. (Similarly, AI Mode this week swapped out the carousel of suggestions on this page for a more straightforward list of prompts.) This menu lets you access the Gallery (like before), Camera, and Create Images with a banana emoji. If you choose the last option, the prompt hint changes to "Describe your image." You can generate entirely new ones, or add an image to make edits. Like the Gemini app, you can download this image and share. What's generated features a Gemini spark watermark in the bottom-right corner. The more prominent Nano Banana integration is in Google Lens. After adding Search "Live" (and integrating the "Homework" filter directly into "Search"), there is now a "Create" tab. (A small redesign moves the text labels to below the icon, so more filters can appear side-by-side.) It prompts you to capture, creature, and share, with the banana emoji in the shutter button. Compared to the other filters, Create defaults you to the front-facing camera for a selfie, with a lens switcher available at the right. Hitting capture adds that image to AI Mode's prompt box where you can enter a prompt. We're seeing Nano Banana in Google Lens and AI Mode on Android today (in the US) with an account opted into the AI Mode Search Lab. Meanwhile, Google this week brought AI Mode to 35 new languages and over 40 new countries/territories to bring the total list to 200. The full list is available here.